Midnight sleep schedule...any success stories?

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

]Hey y'all...

]

]I know this one's been done on here a time or two, but after looking at the older posts on the subject, I decided to make a new one.

]

]I worked 7p-7a for a long time before going to days. However, I'm starting straight 11p-7a next week. When I did the twelves, my sleep schedule was ridiculous. I need eight uninterrupted hours to be able to work, so I would do nothing but sleep and work for three days then attempt to go to a normal human schedule and back to the vampire one for the next four.

]

]A lot of night shift nurses survive by naps. I cannot do this. I require eight hours if I'm going to be working. If it's my day off, that's a different story, but during the week, I must have those hours. I have no children or husband, so I don't have to work around anyone else's schedule.

]

]So, what do you nocturnal Nurse Nancies (and Normans) do as far as a schedule? I can't decide if I should:

]A) sleep 9a-5p like I did when I worked twelves,

]B) sleep 11a-7p so I have time to do things in the morning if I need to and some time in the evening so I don't feel that I'm being rushed, or

]C) sleep 1p-9p as if I were "normal" and getting up to go work as most would in the morning and therefore have my mornings to unwind/run errands/clean.

]

]Also, is it absolutely essential to keep myself on said schedule on my off days? This was impossible for me when I worked twelves, and it seemed silly because I only worked twelve days per month.

]

]Thanks so much everyone!

]

]*~Jess~*

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

I work 12 hour nights. A long time ago I did 11p-7a. I slept approx 12p-8pm. That way I did some stuff when I got off work and then went home and slept. Everybody is different of course.

Now on nights I switch back to normal schedule when I'm off. I like to do that even though the experts say you shouldn't. When I am gonna have a few days off I come home in the am, sleep for about four hours, get up and go back to day schedule.

The first day I feel kind of crummy, but by day 2 I feel fine. Working nights is all about attitude if you ask me.

My attitude is "I work when I have to, and sleep when I can, or want to." I don't have any responsibilities outside of work either so it is pretty easy for me. When I am messed up, can't sleep I read or fiddle on the net until I'm sleepy again.

[oldladyRN]

I also work 11p-7a, so I'll share my tips. In fact, I just switched to this shift about 6 months ago, after a few years of working 7a-3p.

When I leave work in the morning, I run errands if I need to. Grocery store, Walgreens, haircut (if it's time), pick up any dry cleaning. I then come home and maybe cook a dish that lasts me 3-4 days. Around 11:00 - 11:30, I take my Melatonin. I'm in bed @ 12:30 and my alarm is set for 9p. I get up, watch a few minutes of television, check my e-mail (and read some allnurses!!), jump in the shower, and it's back to work.

What works best for me is to maintain a sleep schedule that's a close as you can get to working a "regular" schedule (you know, the one where people sleep when it's dark outside). This fools my body into thinking that I'm not doing anything differently than anyone else. I work with a lot of people that go directly home and to sleep. They are then awake @ 4-5 pm and don't come in until 11p. This would not work for me, as it would be the equivalent of me waking up @ 2 am and running a bunch of errands before I came to work @ 7 am.

I'm sure people will be glad to share what works best for them, and you can try all the suggestions and figure out what works best for you.

oldladyRN

[Bossy Boss]

It does take a good day or so to get back into a daytime routine. If you could bunch up your work days that way, you will have more days off in a row.

[Bossy Boss]

It does take a good day or so to get back into a daytime routine. If you could bunch up your work days that way, you will have more days off in a row.